Load transfer structural member for a seat assembly

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat back and a seat bottom and is attached to a vehicle support structure by a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly includes a first track and a second track supported for movement relative to the first track; the seat bottom being supported on the second track for axial movement with the second track. This allows the seat assembly to be adjusted forwardly or rearwardly by a seat occupant. The seat back can also be moved relative to the second track between an upright position and a recliner position. The seat assembly receives a seat load resulting from the seat occupant sitting in the seat with the seat back in the reclined position and/or from a forward movement of the seat occupant during a deceleration of the vehicle when the seat occupant is belted into the seat. First and second support members or mounting brackets are attached to the second track. A structural support beam is supported on the second track by the first and second mounting brackets. The beam partially distributes the seat load between the first and second support members.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An assembly for mounting a seat within a vehicle comprising, in combination: a first track defining a first longitudinal axis;   a second track supported for movement relative to said first track;   a first support member supported on said second track;   a second support member supported on said second track and spaced apart from said first support member; and   a beam defining a second longitudinal axis and supported on said second track by said first and second support members, said beam for partially distributing a seat load between sad first and second support members;   wherein said beam comprises a base portion with a pair of side walls extending downwardly from said base portion toward said second track, said side walls being attached to said first and second support members.   
     
     
       2. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said beam is orientated such that said first longitudinal axis is non-parallel to said second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       3. An assembly as recited in claim 1 including a first mounting bracket for mounting one end of said first track to a vehicle structure and a second mounting bracket for mounting an opposite end of said first track to said vehicle structure. 
     
     
       4. An assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said second track moves between a forward position where said first support member is positioned forwardly with respect to said first mounting bracket and a rearward position where said first support member is positioned between said first and second mounting brackets. 
     
     
       5. An assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said beam has a first attachment portion for attachment to said first support member and a second attachment portion for attachment to said second support member. 
     
     
       6. An assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said beam has a first end and a second end, said second attachment portion being located adjacent to said second end and said first attachment portion being located at a point between said first and second ends such that said beam extends beyond said first attachment portion with said first end of said beam engaging said first track when said second track is in said rearward position. 
     
     
       7. An assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said beam partially transfers the seat load applied at said second end of said beam from said second end to said first end of said beam such that said first end of said beam engages said first track at a point above said first mounting bracket when said second track is in said rearward position. 
     
     
       8. An assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said beam has a first end and a second end, said second attachment portion being located adjacent to said second end and said first attachment portion being located at a point between said first and second ends such that said first end of said beam extends beyond said first attachment portion in a cantilevered manner when said second track is in said forward position. 
     
     
       9. An assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said beam includes an engaging portion located between said first and second ends, said engaging portion for engaging said second track when said second track is in said forward position. 
     
     
       10. An assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said beam partially transfers the seat load applied at said second end of said beam from said second end to said engaging portion. 
     
     
       11. An assembly for mounting a seat within a vehicle comprising, in combination: a first track defining a first longitudinal axis;   a second track supported for movement relative to said first track;   a first support member supported on said second track;   a second support member supported on said second track and spaced apart from said first support member; and   a beam supported on said second track by said first and second support member and defining a second longitudinal axis, which is non-parallel to said first longitudinal axis, said beam fixed to said first and second supports for movement therewith without relative movement, and for receiving a seat load and transferring the seat load to said first and second support members;   wherein said first support member is comprised of a generally flat bottom portion and a pair of upwardly extending plates, said flat bottom portion being attached to a top surface of said second track and said plates extending outwardly from said second track at a first distance.   
     
     
       12. An assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said second support member is comprised of a generally flat bottom portion and a pair of upwardly extending plates, said flat bottom portion being attached to said top surface of said second track and said plates for said second support member extending outwardly from said second track at a second distance greater than said first distance. 
     
     
       13. An assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said beam is received at one end between said plates for said first support member and at said opposite end between said plates for said second support member such that a generally triangular load bearing arrangement is achieved between said beam, said second support member and said first and second tracks. 
     
     
       14. An assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said beam is comprised of a base portion with a pair of side walls extending downwardly from said base portion toward said second track, said side walls being attached to said plates of said first and second support members. 
     
     
       15. A vehicle seat assembly comprising, in combination: a seat bottom;   a seat back;   a first track;   a second track supported for movement relative to said first track, said seat bottom being supported on said second track for movement with said second track;   a first support member supported on said second track;   a second support member supported on said second track and spaced apart from said first support member; and   a beam defining a second longitudinal axis and supported on said second track by said first and second support members, said beam for partially distributing a seat load between said first and second support members;   wherein said first and second support members each include a generally flat bottom portion and a pair of outwardly extending plates spaced apart from one another wherein said flat bottom portions are fastened to a top surface of said second track and plates extend upwardly from said second track toward said seat bottom, said plates for said first support member extending outwardly from said second track at a first distance and said plates for said second support member extending outwardly from said second track at a second distance, said second distance being greater than said first distance.   
     
     
       16. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said seat back is moveable between an upright position where said seat back is substantially vertical with respect to said seat bottom and a recliner position where said seat back is reclined rearwardly such that an obtuse angle is formed between said seat bottom and said seat back, said seat back exerting a tensile load on said beam when said seat back is in said recliner position wherein said beam distributes the tensile load between the first and second support members. 
     
     
       17. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said beam includes a base portion and a pair of side walls, said beam being received by said first and second support members between said pairs of plates such that said side walls are attached to said plates. 
     
     
       18. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said beam has a first end and a second end, said first support member being attached to said beam at a beam portion between said first and second ends and said second support member being attached to said beam adjacent to said second end such that a generally triangular load bearing arrangement is achieved between said beam, said second support member, and said second track. 
     
     
       19. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said beam is orientated such that said first longitudinal axis is non-parallel to said second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       20. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 15 including a first mounting bracket for mounting one end of said first track to a vehicle structure and a second mounting bracket for mounting an opposite end of said first track to said vehicle structure wherein said second track moves between a forward position where said first support member is positioned forwardly with respect to said first mounting bracket and a rearward position where said first support member is positioned between said first and second mounting brackets. 
     
     
       21. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein said beam has a first beam end and a second beam end, said first support member being attached to said beam at a point between said first and second beam ends and said second support member being attached to said beam adjacent to said second end. 
     
     
       22. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said second seat track is moveable between a forward position where said first beam end is cantilevered with respect to said second track and a rearward position where said first beam end engages said first track. 
     
     
       23. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said beam transfers the seat load applied at said second end of said beam from said second end to said first end of said beam such that said first end of said beam engages said first track at a track portion supported by said first mounting bracket when said second track is in said rearward position. 
     
     
       24. A vehicle seat assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said beam includes an engaging portion for engaging said second track, said beam partially transferring the seat load applied at said second end of said beam from said second end to said engaging portion when said second track is in said forward position. 
     
     
       25. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said beam is fixed to said first and second supports for movement therewith without relative movement thereto. 
     
     
       26. An assembly for mounting a seat within a vehicle comprising, in combination: a first track defining a longitudinal axis;   a second track supported for movement relative to said first track;   a first support member supported on said second track;   a second support member supported on said second track and longitudinally spaced apart from said first support member along said first longitudinal axis; and   a beam having a first end, a second end and an engaging portion for engaging the second track, said beam attached to the first support member at a point and attached to the second support member near a second end, with the engaging portion positioned between the first end of the beam and the point, said beam defining a second longitudinal axis and supported on said second track by said first and second support members, said beam for partially distributing a seat load between said first and second support members, wherein the seat load is partially transferred from the second end of the beam to the engaging portion.   
     
     
       27. An assembly for mounting a seat within a vehicle comprising, in combination: a first track defining a longitudinal axis;   a second track supported for movement relative to said first track;   a first support member supported on said second track;   a second support member supported on said second track and longitudinally spaced apart from said first support member along said first longitudinal axis, said support members adapted to be mounted to the second track remote from a seat bottom; and   a beam defining a second longitudinal axis and supported on said second track by said first and second support members, said beam for partially distributing a seat load between said first and second support members.   
     
     
       28. The assembly of claim 27 for mounting a seat within a vehicle further comprising: a third track extending parallel with and spaced longitudinally from the first track; and   a fourth track supported for movement relative to said third track, extending parallel to the second track and movable with the second track.